Petko Dimitrov

{{Short description|Bulgarian marine geologist and oceanographer}}

{{prose|date=May 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Petko Dimitrov
{{Nobold|{{lang|bg|Петко Димитров}}}}

| image = Petko-1.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date |1944|09|16}}

| death_date = {{death date |2023|04|29}}

| alma_mater = Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski”

| known_for = Black Sea deluge hypothesis

}}

Petko Stoyanov Dimitrov ({{langx|bg|Петко Стоянов Димитров}}) (16 September 1944 – 29 April 2023) was a Bulgarian marine geologist and oceanographer from the Institute of Oceanology - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Varna. He has been an early proponent of the Black Sea deluge hypothesis which gained public notoriety at the end of the XXc.

Biography

Born on September 16, 1944, in the village of Novachene, Sofia Province. In 1969 he graduated from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Geology and Geography, specialty geology-geochemistry. From 1969 to 1975 he worked in the uranium mine "Eleshnitsa" as a deputy director. In 1975 he won a competition for a research associate and was employed at the Institute of Oceanology - BAS. In 1979 he defended his dissertation on "Genesis of marine sediments in the peripheral region of the western part of the Black Sea shelf in the Quaternary" under the guidance of Academician Yastrebov and Prof. Aksenov at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow.Dimitrov P. 1979. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326440753_Formirovanie_osadkov_perifericeskoj_oblasti_selfa_zapadnoj_casti_Cernogo_mora_v_cetverticnoe_vrema Genesis of marine sediments in the peripheral region of the western part of the Black Sea shelf in the Quaternary]. 22 p., DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.12252.69766/1

  • He introduced new scientific disciplines for the Bulgaria - "Marine Geology" and "Geoarchaeology".
  • Scientific Secretary of IO-BAS, Varna, 1977 - 1984; Deputy Director of IO-BAS, Varna, 1984 - 1993; Head of the Department "Marine Geology and Archaeology" of IO-BAS, Varna, 1997 - 2009.
  • There is original research related to the "Black Sea deluge hypothesis"Dimitrov P. 1978. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320924943_Potopenite_drevni_bregove_na_Cerno_more_The_Flooded_ancient_coastlines_of_the_Black_Sea The Flooded ancient coastlines of the Black Sea]. Priroda (Nature), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 4, 55-59Dimitrov P. 1982. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312155082_Radiovglerodni_datirovki_na_dnni_utajki_ot_blgarskia_cernomorski_self_Radiocarbon_datings_of_bottom_sediments_from_the_Bulgarian_Black_Sea_shelf Radiocarbon datings of bottom sediments from the Bulgarian Black Sea shelf]. Oceanology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 9, 45-53.Dimitrov D. 2018. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328450000_Current_status_of_the_Noah's_Flood_Theory_Black_Sea_deluge_theory_in_the_Black_Sea_and_its_practical_significance Current status of the Noah’s Flood Theory (Black Sea deluge theory) in the Black Sea and its practical significance]. BULGARIA IN WORLD HISTORY AND CIVILIZATIONS - SPIRIT AND CULTURE. Dangrafik, Varna, DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28994.84165
  • Leader and participant in over 30 international scientific expeditions in the Black Sea (with Dr. Robert Ballard 2001, 2002;Dimitrov P., D. Dimitrov. 2004. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290938137_The_Black_Sea_The_Flood_and_the_ancient_myths The Black Sea The Flood and the ancient myths]. „Slavena“, Varna, ISBN 954-579-335-X, 91 p., DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18954.16327 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 2006;{{cite journal |doi = 10.1016/j.epsl.2009.05.029|title = DNA and lipid molecular stratigraphic records of haptophyte succession in the Black Sea during the Holocene|year = 2009|last1 = Coolen|first1 = Marco J.L.|last2 = Saenz|first2 = James P.|last3 = Giosan|first3 = Liviu|last4 = Trowbridge|first4 = Nan Y.|last5 = Dimitrov|first5 = Petko|last6 = Dimitrov|first6 = Dimitar|last7 = Eglinton|first7 = Timothy I.|journal = Earth and Planetary Science Letters|volume = 284|issue = 3–4|pages = 610–621|bibcode = 2009E&PSL.284..610C}} Prof. William Ryan[https://lamont.columbia.edu/directory/william-b-f-ryan William B.F. Ryan] Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Retrieved 14 January 2024.{{Cite journal |last1=Ryan |first1=W. B. F. |last2=Pitman|first2=W. C.|last3=Major|first3=C. O. |last4=Shimkus |first4=K. |last5=Moskalenko |first5=V. |last6=Jones|first6=G. A. |last7=Dimitrov |first7=P. |last8=Gorür |first8=N. |last9=Sakinç |first9=M. |date=1997 |title=An abrupt drowning of the Black Sea shelf |url=http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~billr/BlackSea/Ryan_et_al_MG_1997.pdf |journal=Marine Geology |volume=138|issue=1–2|pages=119–126|doi=10.1016/s0025-3227(97)00007-8|access-date=2014-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304104301/http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~billr/BlackSea/Ryan_et_al_MG_1997.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead|citeseerx=10.1.1.598.2866 |bibcode=1997MGeol.138..119R }} 2009, 2011 – project 02–337 "Ancient coastlines of the Black Sea and conditions for human presence", funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund at the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria {{Cite journal|last1=Yanchilina|first1=Anastasia G.|last2=Ryan|first2=William B. F.|last3=McManus|first3=Jerry F.|last4=Dimitrov|first4=Petko|last5=Dimitrov|first5=Dimitar|last6=Slavova|first6=Krasimira|last7=Filipova-Marinova|first7=Mariana|date=2017-01-01|title=Compilation of geophysical, geochronological, and geochemical evidence indicates a rapid Mediterranean-derived submergence of the Black Sea's shelf and subsequent substantial salinification in the early Holocene|journal=Marine Geology|volume=383|pages=14–34|doi=10.1016/j.margeo.2016.11.001|bibcode=2017MGeol.383...14Y|doi-access=free}}Yanchilina, A. G., Ryan, W. B. F., McManus, J. F., Dimitrov, P., Dimitrov, D., Slavova, K., & Filipova-Marinova, M. (2019). Reply to comment on, “Compilation of geophysical, geochronological, and geochemical evidence indicates a rapid mediterranean-derived submergence of the black sea's shelf and subsequent substantial salinification in the early holocene” by A.G. yanchilina, W.B.F. ryan, J.F. McManus, P. dimitrov, D. dimitrov, K. slavova, M. filipova-marinova [marine geology 383 (2017) 14–34]. Marine Geology, 407, 354-361. Bibcode:[https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019MGeol.407..354Y/abstract 2019MGeol.407..354Y], doi:[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2018.11.006 10.1016/j.margeo.2018.11.006]). His is the most sensational, but also the most controversial find in Bulgarian archeology, the so-called "Noah's Plate". It was discovered on July 15, 1985 at a depth of about 93 m and 65 km inland from Varna. There is still no one to acknowledge its authenticity.
  • He participated in international scientific expeditions to the Pacific Ocean (1982), the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea (1984).
  • The first Bulgarian scientist studied Manganese nodule in Pacific Ocean.Dimitrov P. 1988. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312155281_Dalec_ot_bregove_i_farvateri_Far_from_the_coasts_and_waterways Far from the coasts and waterways]. Varna. Publ. "Galactica", Library "Neptun", 161 p., DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.19449.36965
  • Membership in scientific organizations: Member of Union of Scientists - Varna, Bulgarian Geological Society, Bulgarian Geographical Society, Foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
  • Honorary citizen of the city of Varna, 2013
  • Research interests: Black Sea, Geology, Geochemistry, Marine geology, Black Sea deluge hypothesis, alternative sources and energy resources from the bottom of the Black Sea, Maritime history, archeology and geoarcheology, uranium minerals and uranium mining.
  • Teaching activity: Lecturer in Marine Geology, Lithology and Geochemistry in Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy and Varna Free University. Lecturer at the University of Bologna and the University Consortium in Underwater Archeology - Sicily, Italy.
  • Scientific publications: Author and co-author of over 150 scientific articles and books. Citations: over 1300.[https://scholar.google.bg/citations?user=UbbWCKYAAAAJ&hl=en scholar.google.bg]
  • He is the creator of the idea for the application of sapropel sediments from the bottom of the Black Sea as a natural ecological fertilizer and biological products. Dimitrov P., et al. (2000). [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319205132_Amendment_for_soils_and_substrates_Meliorant_za_pocvi_i_substrati Amendment for soils and substrates], DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28181.63205 Patent BG No. 63868, Register No. 104106.
  • Scientific awards: Medal for scientific contributions "St. St. Cyril and Methodius”- II degree, Scientific Award [http://www.io-bas.bg/noahproject/ "Varna" 2003 – Scientific team with leader Prof. Petko Dimitrov] for realization of the project "Correlation of Geological, Climatic and Historical Events in the Black Sea, Marmara Sea and Mediterranean Sea during the last 25000 years (Noah's Flood Project)".
  • Participation in films about the Black Sea Flood (Black Sea deluge hypothesis) – „BBC–Horizon–1996 – Noah's Flood“, ZDF „Terra X 56 Die Sintflut“, UFOTV „Dark Secrets of Black Sea“, „Ancient X-Files: Season 2 Episode 8 - Great Flood and Scottish Stone Mystery - National Geographic“ etc.
  • Collaborator of the Institute of Ancient Civilizations in Sofia.
  • He was a member of the High Attestation Commission (Scientific Commission for Geological and Geographical Sciences) - 2 mandate.
  • OUR MEMORY ON LIFE AND SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY BY PROFESSOR DIMITROV PETKO STOYANOV.Shuisky Yu. D., Yanko V. V., Andrianova O. R. 2023. OUR MEMORY ON LIFE AND SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY BY PROFESSOR DIMITROV PETKO STOYANOV. Odesa National University Herald. Geography & Geology. Volume 28. Issue 2(43), doi: https://doi.org/10.18524/2303-9914.2023.2(43).292753

Monographs and books

  • Димитров П. 1988. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312155281_Dalec_ot_bregove_i_farvateri_Far_from_the_coasts_and_waterways Далеч от брегове и фарватери]. Варна. Изд. „Галактика“. Библиотека „Нептун“, 161 с., doi:[https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19449.36965/1 10.13140/RG.2.2.19449.36965/1]
  • Димитров П., Д. Димитров. 2003. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290946364_Cerno_more_Potopt_i_drevnite_mitove Черно море, Потопът и древните митове]. „Славена“, Варна, ISBN 954-579-278-7, 91 с., doi:[https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27133.05609 10.13140/RG.2.2.27133.05609]
  • ((en)) Dimitrov P., D. Dimitrov. 2004. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290938137_The_Black_Sea_The_Flood_and_the_ancient_myths The Black Sea The Flood and the ancient myths]. „Slavena“, Varna, ISBN 954-579-335-X, 91 p., doi:[https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18954.16327 10.13140/RG.2.2.18954.16327]
  • ((ru)) Димитров П., Д. Димитров. 2008. [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290946378_Cernoe_more_Potop_i_drevnie_mify Черное море, Потоп и древние мифы]. „Славена“, Варна, ISBN 954-579-278-7, 89 с., doi:[https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.23148.46729 10.13140/RG.2.2.23148.46729]

References